bChapter /bb69 /b

Nyssa pov

bHe /bsat there quietly, blike /bhe always did. bHis /bgaze was locked on nothing in particr, his expression cold and unreadable. His hair fell messily around his bface/b, like bhe /bbhadn’t /bhad the time to take care of it.

Despite that, he looked like he belonged in a muscum- dangerously attractive.

bAs /bbI /bstared at him, I knew he could sense it, yet he didn’t lift his head to look at me, not even for a second. He just bsat /bthereb, /bstaring nkly, beven /bbas /beveryone belse /bspoke around him.

It made me frown for some reason. Sure, this wasn’t the first time he’d tantly ignored me, but this timeb… /bbit /bannoyed me more than usual.

After what had happened yesterday, I didn’t expect him to talk to me, but for some reason, I couldn’t understand why I was

angry.

“Missb,/bb” /bI heard Serena whisper as she gently tapped me, snapping me out of my daze. I blinked and turned to find her head slightly lowered, subtly gesturing ahead.

Following bher /bgaze, I turned around and realized that everyone at the dining table was staring at me. My father… and everyone belse/b.

“Oh! Good morning, mydy. Yellow looks really good on you,” Cassian greeted with a grin, raising his hand in a yful

bwave/b.

“Yes, Beta Cassian is right. Thedy looks very pretty,” Drake added, his voice calm andposed, in contrast to Cassian’s yful tone.

Before I knew it, a smile tugged at my lips as I looked at them, especially when I noticed my father, Calen, and Benjamin all smiling in satisfaction at thepliment.

They looked like proud mother geese admiring their chick.

I knew I’d been dressing differentlytely, either in ck or in clothes that usually upset my father but today, I’d at least made an effort to wear something brighter.

I smiled softly, lowering my head slightly before walking down the stairs, carefully avoiding the gaze of the man who hadn’t even spared me a nce.

“You know, the color yellow suits you perfectly. It brings out your eyes,” Cassianplimented again as I stepped closer, and I couldn’t help butugh as I took a seat beside my father.

“Thank you, Beta Cassian. Thank you, Gamma Drake. I appreciate the kind words,” I said politely, and they both smiled back before returning to their food.

For a brief moment, my father looked at me with a glimmer in his eyes before giving me a small nod, almost as if to say bwas /bproud of me.

Proud of meb? /b

For whatb, /bexactly?

Maybe because I wasn’t making a scene about going to the king’s pack. Well… not yet, at least. I was waiting to bsee /bif She would actually do what she said she would tonight.

he

bAs /bSerena bbegan /bserving food onto my bte/b, Cassian leaned forward and began speaking to me benthusiastically/b.

“Our bpack /bis really big–bbigger /bbthan /bany bother /bbpack /bin bthe /bworld. It’s beautiful too, absolutely mesmerizing. We bhave /bthe best bdelicacies/b, the finest furnitureb, /bbthe /bmost luxurious clothes, and the highest level of security. You’ll bbe /bsurprised when you see it. I know everything might bfeel /bba /bbit brushed /bright bnow/bb, /bbut trust me, you’re going to love it.”

He gave me a bright, excited grin before popping a piece of bpancake /binto bhis /bmouth. I smiled and listened without interrupting, not because I was interested in Darius’s bpack/b. I really didn’t care if his pack was something straight out of a fairytale. bWhat /bamused me bwas /bCassian’s yful behavior. Even though I didn’t know him well, he was actually kind of cute. His energy reminded me of a little brother or maybe a best friend. Either way, it was refreshing talking to him, unlike someone else sitting right bhere/b…

My gaze flickered to Darius as ì prepared to bscowl /bat him, but the next second, I snapped my beyes /baway, my heart nearly leaping out of my chest.

He had been staring at me the whole time, his eyes locked on mine with an unreadable, emotionless expression.

Fuck.

b“/bAre you okay, missb? /bYou look pale,” Drake asked, his toneced with concern. Cassian stopped talking and narrowed his eyes before chiming in.

“Yeah, are you good?” he echoed, now sounding genuinely worried.

I could feel everyone’s attention shift to me, even my father had paused his conversation with Calen and Benjamin to look

my way.

I quickly nodded and forced a smile.

“Y–yes, I’m okay. Hm… I’ve just noticed that the doctor, Zayn hasn’t been aroundtely. Is he okay?” I asked, smoothly changing the topic to something that had been on my mind.

Thest time I saw Zayn was when I had sneaked back into my room that day. He was usually quiet and kept to himself, but I had still noticed his absence.

“Oh–Zayn?” Cassian repeated. “Yeah, he’s not around. He left two days ago, said he wanted to look for some nt outside since he doesn’t get many chances to leave the king’s pack. He’ll be back tomorrow, before we set out.”

“Ah,” I muttered, nodding in understanding as I reached for a ss of water to drink but in the very next second, I heard his

voice.

“Why are you asking about him?”

My beyes /bwidened in horror, and I spat out the water from my mouth as I felt Darius’s heated gaze pierce through me.

Everyone turned to him almost at once, stunned that he had finally spoken after ignoring every other attempt to draw him into conversation.

But his bgaze /bremained fixed solely on me.

And like the idiot I was, I looked to the left, then to the right, before pointing at myself in surprise.

“Me?b” /bbI /basked, then swallowed nervously as he narrowed his eyes at me, a shiver crawling down my spine as my body

stiffened.

Just as I braced for silence bto /bswallow the room, Darius said nothing. Instead, he stood from his seat and walked away without another nce.

Everyone’s eyes followed him as bhe /bleft, and the moment he was bgone/b, bwe /bball /bturned bto /beach other, unsure bof /bwhat had just happened.

Cassian tilted his head in confusion and muttered,

Cassian tilted his head in confusion and muttered,

“That was weird.”